| Ida
County was established in 1851. The county's name is usually
credited to Eliphalet Price, about 1852. Price was on a State
Commission to name Iowa's newly formed counties. The story claims he
was camped east of the grove watching Indian campfires on the far ridge,
and the image brought to mind Mount Ida in ancient Greece. Price
called the county Ida, and even before settlement seriously began, the new
county's most significant landmark was know as Ida's Grove. The
Grove that someday would give Ida Grove its name and was one of only a few
scattered timber groves in the county.
The first
authentic account of the early settlement of Ida County states that in
1854, Robert Townsley and Edward Smith build a cabin and raised a small
crop of corn. The first white child born in the county was a girl to Ed
and Margaret Smith and was named Ida. (Some say she was named for
the county; others say the county was named after her.)
At this point
in history Ida Grove takes on the first hint of permanence with the
arrival of Ebenezer Cornstock and John Moorehead. The Cornstocks and
Mooreheads were farmers. They depended on the land to provide for
their families and livestock.
It was the
Moorehead's cabin that was destined to become the center of slowly growing
commerce in the area. The arrangement of early homesteads made his
cabin on the south end of the grove the first human habitation after a 25
mile trek, and it was only natural that is would become a regular stage
coach stop.
The
official organization date of the county is just as unclear. The
first settlements were made in 1856 near the Maple River, and some say the
county was organized shortly afterwards in 1858, with a county population
of 40. Others say that the correct date is January 1, 1859.
The county
was originally divided into four townships: Douglass, Silver Creek, Corwin
and Maple. From June 6, 1876 to January 4, 1881, the other townships
were detached from the originals.
The county
seat was officially located in Ida Grove on December 17, 1860 and the
first regular meeting of the board of supervisors was January 1, 1866.
Members present included: J.H . Moorehead, A.J. Teal and M.G. Aldrich.
The first
courthouse of Ida County was built in the original town of Ida in 1871 and
was nearly completed before any other building was begun near the site.
On January 12, 1877, the courthouse burned, along with most of the county
records. County offices were then located in various locations
around the town.
Late in 1879
a building was constructed with private funds. The county had the
option to either rent or buy the building. In 1880 the county moved
its offices into the building.
On July 2,
1883, the letting of a contract to build a new courthouse and jail as per
plans and specifications of J.P. Bryant was held with W. Townsend and J.M.
Starbuck having the low bid of $28,145 with the erection and completion of
the building to be on or before January 1, 1884.
The 66-foot x
82-foot brick structure is in ornate Victorian style. Due to state
of repairs, in the 1960s the building did undergo some remodeling.
The basement and large courtroom were remodeled into offices and storage
space.
In 1970, the
first of seven bond issues asking to build a new courthouse was defeated.
On November 4, 1980 plans to erect "a new courthouse and renovate
portions of the courthouse not previously remodeled at a total cost not to
exceed $900,000 and use federal revenue sharing funds on hand to pay the
cost thereof" was passed and the blending of the old and the new on
courthouse hill seemed to be a suitable compromise to the courthouse
issue. This building was dedicated to the present and future
citizens of Ida County on September 25, 1983.
-Sources: Jim Dowling, Sac County
Recorder and Lorna Steenbock, Ida County Auditor, 2002 |
